Einar Østby was a cross-country skiier who competed twice at the Winter Olympics, in 1960 and 1964. He won a silver medal with the Norwegian relay team in 1960 and just missed another medal when he finished tied for fourth in the 15 km in 1960. At the 1962 World Championships in Zakopane, Østby won a bronze medal in the 15 km. He also placed second in the 50 km at Holmenkollen in 1963, and was sixth at Holmenkollen in the 15 km in 1961. His first major success was the Norwegian Junior Championship in 1955. Østby was never able to win a Norwegian Championship, but had five silver medals in his national meet – the 15 km in 1960, 1963-64, and the 30 km in 1963-64. He narrowly failed to qualify for the World Championships in 1966 and the Winter Olympics in Grenoble in 1968. He participated, however, in Norwegian Championships and at the Holmenkollen well into the 1970s.
Østby was also a good distance runner on the track, with personal bests of 14:46.2 for 5,000 metres set at Bislett in July 1959, and a 10K PR of 31:01.2 done at Drammen in August 1962. He actually won his only individual Norwegian Championship in the cross-country run in 1964. Østby ran and skiied for Jaren IL.
Norway